As promised in a previous post, here it is...burning the midnight oil...light-headed after getting my a$$ kicked by a new blend from the marketing masters, CAO International.

I walked into The Briary in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday to pick up a couple of new sticks and in no way expected to see this new offering from CAO. As a HUGE fan of the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero line, I couldn't believe my eyes as the guy at the shop told me they had JUST opened the box, and I purchased the first two sticks fresh off the shelves. Ladies and gentlemen, without further adieu, I present to you my take on this promising new stick.

CAO Lx2 Toro (6x50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Ligero leaf from both Dominican Rep. and Nicaragua

Nice, fresh cut
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Sorry for the blur
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Prelight aroma: sweet, leathery
Construction: Nice, solid throughout- firm, with no soft spots. Cap had a few minor flaws and knots in it.

First 3rd:
Producing plenty of smoke after a fairly easy light. Immdiately after the first few puffs, I detect a leathery feel with a pronounced spiciness lingering in the back of my mouth. Earthy undertones are also detected at this point.
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Second 3rd:
Gray, flaky ash producing copious amounts of blu-ish smoke. Spice certainly still remains, but leather is becoming dominant. I can tell already this is definitely a full-bodied cigar. Spice slightly remains, but continues to give way to open up with flavors of toasted wood with a hint of sweetness. VERY pleasing flavor and VERY full...would love to smoke one of these with more age on it. Towards the end of this stage, spice continues to dissipate, with creamy tones and the slightest bit of mocha flavor coming through.
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Final 3rd:
This has been an absolute surprise as the flavors become more complex, but not like a mish-mash of flavor...more of a consistent complexity, if you will. Cream has overtaken all spice, and a very slight tangy, not citrus, but a tangy/acidic kick comes into play. Towards the very end, a slightly pronounced licorice flavor is a perfect end to this stick which never gets harsh as I continued to "nub" this one til about half an inch was left.
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Overall Impression:
As well as one can tell with a single offering from a new blend, this would certainly be my favorite cigar made by CAO. Jeff Tinnell, the area rep for CAO, said this stick would rival the LFD DL, and thus far, I believe he's correct. I've tried nearly every CAO blend offered, and while I've found most to be quite one-dimensional (which is not always a terrible thing), this one certainly goes above and beyond anything else they've created to date...including the Sopranos and Vision lines. CAUTION: Eat before smoking, as this is one to be reckoned with, and I was certainly getting a buzz...even in the middle of the stick. If you've never been a fan of CAO, but enjoy a full-bodied cigar, I would encourage you to revisit this brand, giving their new offering a try. :-)

Construction: 7/10
Draw: 8.5/10
Burn: 8.5/10
Flavor: 9/10
OVERALL: 8.25 :-)

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Jason
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Thanks for the review! Looking forward to giving these a try.
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Been on the lookout for these. Thanks for the review!
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This is certainly one tasty stick, I just don't know if it was mine that had burn issues.
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Thanks for the review! I can't wait to try one of these. How much did yours cost?
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$7.00 for the toro that I had. $6.30 for the robusto, and $7.70 for the torpedo if I remember correctly.
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I enjoyed the one i had
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GREAT REVIEW! Personally, I hated the two I had...but to each their own, I am glad you found an enjoyable smoke...
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Nicely done! Will have to give it a try. I've found often I need to slooooow doooown to avoid or lessen the buzz! And, indeed, smoking on a empty stomach can be very dangerous!
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Great review, thank you. Looking forward trying one of these:-)
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Liked the one I had. Better in the final 3rd. I just don't think it lived up to the hype.

IMHO
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That's the thing, though....NOTHING would ever be able to live up to the "hype" of a CAO cigar with so much money invested in marketing. I wish people would forget what the labels, boxes, website, and everything else looks like and judge their stuff simply according to how it smokes. ByrneBrew, I'm totally not saying this is what you're doing, but I always hear people talk about how they hate CAO, but the word, "overhyped" is often mentioned. For $21+, Ashton ESGs are crap, too, IMHO, however....if you disregard price, it's a darn fine smoke if you ask me. :-) Sorry, this is just my :-) I'll step down off my soapbox now. :-)

Jason
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Looking forward to trying one
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Nice review!
Thank you.

I agree with the thought that prices on sticks are a very small part of the review info.
Many folk think we are NUTS that we smoke such expensive cigars...is that more than a buck?
More than 5????
Relative to everyone's desire.
Tom
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I will be looking for one of these.Thanks for the review on this.:-)
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Jason, Thanks for the warning... I mean... review!!!:-)
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jerk. :-)
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Truly excellent review; thank you. I had one last month and really enjoyed it but I haven't seen any hit my B&M yet.
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Great review Jason.. Can't wait to try mine once they get here.
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Shellie, we should have a mini-herf when ya try one....i wanna see if your face turns green! They're SO good, though!

Jason
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